The Bag Lady

Everybody loves Joe. What’s not to like? He’s the life of the party, never has a bad word to say about anyone, tells jokes like a pro, and is never afraid to make a fool of himself. That’s why everyone loves him.

Almost everyone—his girlfriend, Julie, is often embarrassed by Joe’s behavior and while everyone else is laughing, her face is getting redder by the minute as she sits in the corner cringing. It’s hard to feel sorry for Julie, because she knew what Joe was like when she started dating him. In fact, one of the things she loved about him was how gregarious he was.

Joe is a total opposite of Julie. She is basically a wallflower, an introvert, and you know what they say about opposites attracting? I don’t think I’ve ever seen such opposites. But the weird thing about it is they do love each other and when they’re home alone, he is quiet, sweet, attentive, and pretty much the opposite of what you see in public.

Love is like that sometimes, what you see on the outside is not necessarily what goes on “behind closed doors”. I think that expression started way back in the 14th century, meaning something that’s hidden or kept secret from others. The only time I’ve ever heard it used is when people are talking about their neighbors—usually in a derogatory manner. I think people in general are curious and want to know other people’s business. I could be wrong…

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https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/100129212/posts/5343564897

This week’s Story Starter teaser is:

He watched helplessly as she closed the door behind her. He knew it would only be a brief argument, but was hoping she would forgive him and stay. The obscene content of the email she saw embarrassed them both. He knew his wife would never write anything salacious and didn’t mean for her to see it. He often perused the internet at night when she was at work and he was home alone. A porn site encounter was almost too much, but he could secretly write and receive lewd emails with no repercussions, thinking them harmless. It satisfied his delve into an overly erotic behavior he tried to hide from his wife. Tonight she saw the mails and was shocked and more so, disappointed in him. After two years of marriage she realized she did not know her husband after all. Packing an overnight bag, she looked back for a moment and then left.

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https://pensitivity101.wordpress.com/2024/08/13/three-things-challenge-m785/. Your three words today are: CONTENT BRIEF ENCOUNTER

Fandango’s Story Starter #162

Welcome to the 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge for #TankaTuesday!

This week for #TankaTuesday we’re in the season of: The Beginning of Autumn (August 7 – 21) Risshu 立秋, as we follow the 24 Seasons of Japan. The dates are based off of the lunisolar calendar, often called an agricultural calendar. The traditional Chinese and Japanese lunisolar calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms.

This is the second week of the Beginning of Autumn. Every two weeks, we will move into another season in the 24 Japanese Seasons HERE.

It’s not mandatory, but if you can add another kigo word, please choose a kigo word and/or phrase from the Part I challenge post HERE, or you can use the kigo words from the autumn season on 500 Kigo Words.

Extra Credit if you write tanka or tanka prose!

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sunflowers so bright

you’re a refreshing broad smile

golden petals shine

wild and honeybees will dance

while leaves quiver in dew’s chill

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24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 47, 8/13/24, Part II: The Beginning of Autumn

Joe was throwing evidence and the game

Joe, an aging athlete, talent’s not the same

As when he was point guard, strong and able

Now he’s getting paid under the table

To fix the score, and outcomes even more

The fans who used to adore

Now sad seeing Joe’s demise on the floor.

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I don’t think this is an example of the zeugma, 🙄

Zeugmatically Speaking

An old saying, “you’ve got some nerve!” used to be quite the insult, but now I think it has gone in favor of “f—- you” or something similar. I used to cringe hearing that word but now it’s like any other derogatory quip, I’m used to it. Movies and videos drop it frequently, and there are even books that punctuate the “f word” almost every other sentence. My husband used to say it showed a lack of intelligence, but I don’t think that is true anymore. It’s almost similar to hearing Trump’s lies about well, everything, I’m used to it. (Sorry for that reference, I’m trying to stay off T, but he’s always there!). It is just incorporated into every day life. I like some English/British sayings like “bugger off” which probably means the same thing, just sounds nicer…feel free to laugh at this post and tell me what I write is “bollocks” and to “sod off”, “piss off” or “buzz off”. And yes I’m using an emoji…😂

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Writer’s Workshop Prompts for August 15, 2024

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city dark at rest

suddenly a lightning strike

animals shelter

park visitors hide in fear

Mother Nature lashes out

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Moonwashed Weekly Prompt – Suddenly

Share Your World 12th August 2024

Joe submitted the custom check to the court bailiff. The check had shown Joe’s new address. He hoped it would not be contested and the judge would allow the payment to clear. Joe was trying to change his pattern of cut and run when it came to court fees, a challenge at best. Joe’s work history was as a coffee shop host and he had received some praise for fitting well into this type of job, but they just didn’t pay well. Bills accumulated over time and now he was threatened with jail time. He thought maybe he should just hang out a shingle on his new apartment door, saying, “any job, anytime”. He smiled at that thought as the judge declared, “fines paid in full” and banged the gavel.

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MLMM Monday Wordle #385

“The Dispatcher was followed in 2020 by Death By Other Means and in 2022 by Travel By Bullet. Like the original, the sequels follow Dispatcher Tony Valdez and were initially released exclusively on Audible, both still narrated by Zachary Quinto.”

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? (August 12, 2024) 📚📚

The lines I have chosen for you to include in your Prosery are:

“And I’ll bury my soul in a scrapbook,
with the photographs there and the moss.”

Here’s how to take part in Prosery:

Write a piece of flash fiction of up to or exactly 144 words, including the given line in the order in which it has been given. You may add or change punctuation, but you may not add words in between the given ones. Post your Prosery on your blog and link back to this post. Link it up to our Mr. Linky. Don’t forget to check the little box to accept use/privacy policyVisit other blogs. Enjoy some amazing writing, and don’t forget to comment – and have fun.

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“And I’ll bury my soul in a scrapbook,
with the photographs there and the moss.”

A warm day, rain hanging in clouds, ready to burst once the sky darkens a bit more. A time to ponder, as I am this morning, with time to think. Days of muted sun cause a melancholy and I often sit too long with my thoughts. Today is a concern for a grandson, living about five hours away now, away from family that he needs, and wants to return to. An adult now of course, but still…

I open the well worn book and see pictures of happier days when grandchildren flocked around, eager to see what’s in the cookie jar, or at the park asking for one more push on the swing. So I’ll bury my soul in a scrapbook, with the photographs there and the moss.

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Take This Waltz